They set the tray in bed between them and Penny let out a sigh of delight at the first sip of coffee.
“Are you always going to be this nice? I could get used to this.”
“You like that, huh? You’ll have to take care of dinner most nights, but I can do breakfast.”
“Fair enough. So is there a reason you’re so chipper this morning? Because if you’re going to wake me at the butt crack of dawn every day then I might have to reconsider this arrangement.”
Matt leaned over to steal a kiss. “I wouldn’t disturb your precious sleep without a good reason. I have a surprise for you.” He glanced at the clock on the nightstand. “We need to get going, actually. Like right now.”
“Going? I need to take a shower and put on makeup.”
He kissed her on the tip of her nose. “You are gorgeous without makeup. Those freckles get me every time.”
She rolled her eyes and put her cup down on the nightstand. “Flattery will not sway me. The last time I went out without makeup, I ended up talking to your friends for an hour with hair that looked like it had been put through a wood chipper. I need to shower.”
After rushing through the quickest shower possible, they were dressed and walking out to his truck.
“Okay, turn around.”
She eyed the blindfold with trepidation but finally allowed him to wind it gently around her head. There was a good chance she wouldn’t figure out what he was up to even if she saw where they were going. However, he thought it added a little mystery to things.
He headed for the highway and then they were on their way. Air rushed through the open windows, bathing them with the moist, cool air of spring. Penny laughed and turned her face into the wind. It was a sound that came from deep in her belly and went straight to Matt’s heart. It was a sound of pure joy.
Northern Virginia was not only a center of military activity, it also boasted several private airfields. His buddy Shep had called in a few favors so he could pull this off. He only hoped Penny didn’t think he’d gone too far.
He parked and tugged gently on the scarf at the back of Penny’s head. Once it was off, she blinked in the light. He could tell when she finally figured out where they were.
“Where are we?” She turned around and stared at the row of small planes behind them.
“We’re in Warrenton, Virginia.”
“Are we going somewhere?” Penny looked puzzled.
“That’s up to you. I have a buddy who flies here. He’s taken people up for tandem jumps before.”
Her eyes widened. “Tandem jumps? You aren’t serious.”
It was now or never. Matt figured he’d better talk fast before she ran away screaming. “I want to give you something more personal than flowers or chocolates. I don’t have a lot of money, and I’m not sophisticated like that other guy.” He scowled at the thought.
Penny grabbed his hand and squeezed. “I like you exactly the way you are.”
“I know. This is part of who I am. I wanted to share that with you. You told me that you’d always wanted to try skydiving, to know what it felt like to lose control. Well, that’s something I understand. After I went through jump school, I loved it so much I took civilian classes so I could skydive whenever I wanted. I wish I could be the one to take you down, but I’m only licensed to skydive alone. I’m not qualified as a skydiving instructor. So I did the next best thing and found you a great divemaster. But it’s up to you. We can go home right now or we can take the leap together.”
Penny stared at him, fear and longing clear in her wide-eyed expression. She turned in her seat and looked at the planes behind them again. Then she gave a little nod of her head.
“I want to take the leap.”
Matt grinned. “Come on. This is going to be fun.”
* * * * *
THEY WERE MET on the tarmac by a guy named Carter. He was a friendly, thirty-ish blond guy who looked more suited to surfing than flying a plane. Penny swallowed her nerves. Matt had said this guy was one of the best tandem instructors in the area, and he wouldn’t compromise when it came to her safety. That much she knew for sure.
After signing a never-ending stream of paperwork, they joined a class of four other students. For the next hour they learned about parachutes and the safety procedures necessary for a safe skydiving experience. Penny was happy to learn that in addition to a reserve parachute in case the first didn’t open, there was also an automated activation device called an AAD that would open the chute below a certain altitude even if the instructor didn’t. She let out an audible sigh of relief and felt Matt’s chest shaking with silent laughter behind her. She elbowed him and gave him an evil look. In response, he held her closer and kissed her ear.
“I’m only teasing you, love. It’s very safe.”
“I know.” Penny really did know that it was an extremely safe sport when you followed the safety rules, but it still went against human nature to jump out of an airplane. She was happy to have all the automatic safety features available just in case.
After the instructor demonstrated the safety harness they would wear, it was time to get ready for their jumps. “Have you changed your mind yet?” Matt whispered.
“Not yet. Ask me again when we’re actually on the plane.”
They changed clothes into bright red jumpsuits and adjusted their safety gear. As the instructor checked her harness, she started to feel the first stirrings of real fear. It was fascinating and scary to think she’d be jumping out of an airplane that day!
“Are you always going to be this nice? I could get used to this.”
“You like that, huh? You’ll have to take care of dinner most nights, but I can do breakfast.”
“Fair enough. So is there a reason you’re so chipper this morning? Because if you’re going to wake me at the butt crack of dawn every day then I might have to reconsider this arrangement.”
Matt leaned over to steal a kiss. “I wouldn’t disturb your precious sleep without a good reason. I have a surprise for you.” He glanced at the clock on the nightstand. “We need to get going, actually. Like right now.”
“Going? I need to take a shower and put on makeup.”
He kissed her on the tip of her nose. “You are gorgeous without makeup. Those freckles get me every time.”
She rolled her eyes and put her cup down on the nightstand. “Flattery will not sway me. The last time I went out without makeup, I ended up talking to your friends for an hour with hair that looked like it had been put through a wood chipper. I need to shower.”
After rushing through the quickest shower possible, they were dressed and walking out to his truck.
“Okay, turn around.”
She eyed the blindfold with trepidation but finally allowed him to wind it gently around her head. There was a good chance she wouldn’t figure out what he was up to even if she saw where they were going. However, he thought it added a little mystery to things.
He headed for the highway and then they were on their way. Air rushed through the open windows, bathing them with the moist, cool air of spring. Penny laughed and turned her face into the wind. It was a sound that came from deep in her belly and went straight to Matt’s heart. It was a sound of pure joy.
Northern Virginia was not only a center of military activity, it also boasted several private airfields. His buddy Shep had called in a few favors so he could pull this off. He only hoped Penny didn’t think he’d gone too far.
He parked and tugged gently on the scarf at the back of Penny’s head. Once it was off, she blinked in the light. He could tell when she finally figured out where they were.
“Where are we?” She turned around and stared at the row of small planes behind them.
“We’re in Warrenton, Virginia.”
“Are we going somewhere?” Penny looked puzzled.
“That’s up to you. I have a buddy who flies here. He’s taken people up for tandem jumps before.”
Her eyes widened. “Tandem jumps? You aren’t serious.”
It was now or never. Matt figured he’d better talk fast before she ran away screaming. “I want to give you something more personal than flowers or chocolates. I don’t have a lot of money, and I’m not sophisticated like that other guy.” He scowled at the thought.
Penny grabbed his hand and squeezed. “I like you exactly the way you are.”
“I know. This is part of who I am. I wanted to share that with you. You told me that you’d always wanted to try skydiving, to know what it felt like to lose control. Well, that’s something I understand. After I went through jump school, I loved it so much I took civilian classes so I could skydive whenever I wanted. I wish I could be the one to take you down, but I’m only licensed to skydive alone. I’m not qualified as a skydiving instructor. So I did the next best thing and found you a great divemaster. But it’s up to you. We can go home right now or we can take the leap together.”
Penny stared at him, fear and longing clear in her wide-eyed expression. She turned in her seat and looked at the planes behind them again. Then she gave a little nod of her head.
“I want to take the leap.”
Matt grinned. “Come on. This is going to be fun.”
* * * * *
THEY WERE MET on the tarmac by a guy named Carter. He was a friendly, thirty-ish blond guy who looked more suited to surfing than flying a plane. Penny swallowed her nerves. Matt had said this guy was one of the best tandem instructors in the area, and he wouldn’t compromise when it came to her safety. That much she knew for sure.
After signing a never-ending stream of paperwork, they joined a class of four other students. For the next hour they learned about parachutes and the safety procedures necessary for a safe skydiving experience. Penny was happy to learn that in addition to a reserve parachute in case the first didn’t open, there was also an automated activation device called an AAD that would open the chute below a certain altitude even if the instructor didn’t. She let out an audible sigh of relief and felt Matt’s chest shaking with silent laughter behind her. She elbowed him and gave him an evil look. In response, he held her closer and kissed her ear.
“I’m only teasing you, love. It’s very safe.”
“I know.” Penny really did know that it was an extremely safe sport when you followed the safety rules, but it still went against human nature to jump out of an airplane. She was happy to have all the automatic safety features available just in case.
After the instructor demonstrated the safety harness they would wear, it was time to get ready for their jumps. “Have you changed your mind yet?” Matt whispered.
“Not yet. Ask me again when we’re actually on the plane.”
They changed clothes into bright red jumpsuits and adjusted their safety gear. As the instructor checked her harness, she started to feel the first stirrings of real fear. It was fascinating and scary to think she’d be jumping out of an airplane that day!
